Rep. Greg Casar, leader of the Progressive Caucus, says Trump will own the shutdown as long as Democrats don't put up "a fake fight"

Many Democrats believe the White House is bluffing and insist Republicans will bear responsibility for a shutdown in the public eye because the GOP controls the government.

Republicans and Democrats are laying the groundwork to blame each other for a potential government shutdown. And the White House has indicated that they would "extract maxiumum pain" if the government shutters,

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader John Thune is rejecting Democratic demands on health care as unserious but says a government shutdown is still “avoidable” despite sharp divisions ahead of Wednesday’s funding deadline.

WASHINGTON — With a government funding deadline looming, the biggest sin in the eyes of the party’s base, according to Democratic officials and activists, would not be losing to President Donald Trump in a shutdown battle. It would be refusing to fight.

President Trump is out of town and key lawmakers are not talking as the deadline for a shutdown approaches on Oct. 1.

A memo from the White House budget office telling federal agencies to prepare plans for mass firings should the government shut down signaled a dramatic escalation in a funding staredown with fewer potential off-ramps as next week’s deadline nears.

The government previously shut down during President Donald Trump's first term over disputes about funding his planned U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Iowa Republicans say Democrats shouldn't play politics in shutdown talks as Democrats urge the extension of ACA subsidies in a government funding deal

Democrats and Republicans are pointing at each other. A veteran GOP strategists suggests that its not as simple as that.